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The distinction between needs and wishes: implications for psychoanalytic theory and technique
1Philadelphia Psychoanalytic Institute, USA. Salman.Akhtar@mail.tju.edu
Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
|June 15, 1999
Summary
This study differentiates psychological needs from wishes, highlighting six universal needs crucial for healthy development and relationships. Gratifying these needs is essential for psychic well-being and effective psychoanalytic treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalysis
Background:
- The paper reviews literature on psychological concepts.
- It distinguishes between universal psychological needs and experience-bound wishes.
Observation:
- Needs are not subject to repression and cannot be replaced, unlike wishes.
- Frustration of needs leads to structural disintegration, while wish frustration causes dynamic shifts.
Findings:
- Six basic psychological needs are identified as ubiquitous.
- These include needs for validation, identity, boundaries, understanding, emotional availability, and resilient responsiveness.
- Gratification of these needs is vital for psychic development, relationships, and psychoanalytic work.
Implications:
- These needs are typically met implicitly in psychoanalytic treatment.
- Some patients require more direct attention to these fundamental psychological needs.
- Clinical examples illustrate the concepts and their therapeutic relevance.
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